This invention relates to tire shredding apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for reducing all but the bead areas of tire casings to small pieces.
My earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,074 discloses apparatus of this type, and this application discloses improved structural and operational features, including the following:
The operating components of the apparatus are activated sequentially to complete an operating cycle automatically and in a minimum of time.
A metal sensor is incorporated in the apparatus at the tire infeed station to prevent operation of the apparatuc if a steel belted tire is delivered to it.
The tire supporting spindle construction accommodates a wider range of tire sizes than my earlier apparatus.
The operating components of the apparatus are mounted on a single carriage and require less drive power than my earlier apparatus.
The cutter mechanism includes a cutter blade and anvil assembly which minimizes the power requirement for the tire shredding operation and also maximizes the operating life of the cutter blade.
The cutter mechanism includes a cutter blade capable of being adjusted to expose fresh cutting edges to replace worn ones, thereby increasing the operating life of cutter blades and minimizing apparatus down time required for blade replacement.
The cutter mechanism incorporates an air fan by which to minimize heating of the cutter assembly.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment.